How to Become a Carpenter: Certification, Licensing & Pay
Carpenters build, install, and repair structures and fixtures made of wood and other materials — framing houses, hanging doors and cabinets, and finishing interiors. Carpentry is one of the largest construction trades, and most carpenters learn on the job or through a paid apprenticeship rather than a college degree.
Apprenticeship Path
Most carpenters train through a registered apprenticeship sponsored by a union — most commonly the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners — a trade association, or an employer. Programs typically run 3 to 4 years, requiring several thousand hours of paid on-the-job work alongside roughly 150 hours of related classroom instruction per year in framing, blueprint reading, and safety.
Certification & Licensing
Unlike electricians and plumbers, most states don't license individual carpenters — a completed apprenticeship earns a journey-level card or certificate from the sponsoring union or training program rather than a government license. Some states and cities do require a contractor's license to run a carpentry business, but that's separate from the credential an individual worker needs to do the job.
Whether a contractor's license is required, and what it takes to get one, varies by state and locality — verify current requirements with your state's contractor licensing board before you rely on them.
Carpenter Pay
The median carpenter in the US earned $59,310 per year as of May 2024 — the middle 80% earned between $38,760 and $98,370.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Carpenters (SOC 47-2031), May 2024.
Job Outlook
The BLS projects employment of carpenters to grow 4% from 2024–34, about as fast as the average for all occupations, with about 74,100 openings projected each year on average (most from workers transferring to other occupations or retiring, not net-new growth alone).
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Carpenters, 2024–34 projections.